The Police has arrested some 48 persons who were reported to have been trapped in a mine belonging to AngloGold Ashanti.

The 48 were arrested on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 after they emerged from the mine, where about 300 of them had been trapped.

The trapped miners voluntarily came out of a shaft voluntarily but were arrested when they emerged by the Military and Police who were at the main exit of the shaft.

Relatives of the trapped miners who were arrested and some youth of the area however massed up at the Obuasi East District Assembly to demand their released.

Some of the illegal miners have however chosen to remain underground for fear of having to be arrested when they exit.

About 300 illegal miners are reported to be trapped in one of the shafts belonging to AngloGold’s Obuasi Mines at Anwiam in the Obuasi East District of the Ashanti Region.

 The illegal miners in search of gold deposits are unable to leave the pit and are calling for help to be rescued.

Reacting to the report in a statement, AngloGold Ashanti, on Tuesday, 30 May 2023, noted it has alerted the “the relevant authority and public security services and is working closely with them.”

AngloGold Ashanti revealed that “unauthorised” people underground “are able to exit on foot, via the existing ramp, through the main access of this mining area.

“No person underground has been confined in anyway and the main exit ramp from the mine remains open.”  

It continued that: “Intrusion of illegal miners into underground areas remains a significantly dangerous acitivity and AngloGold Ashanti Ghana is working alongside authorities to ensure that only authorised mine personnel and contractors can access underground work areas.”

The mining company stressed the “safety and security of employees and community members’ remains its topmost priority, hence it stands ready to “provide any assistance required by the authorities in ensuring the safe exit of any unauthorized persons underground.”